A trio of specialty cheeses produced by Wales’ oldest dairy farming co-operative have secured a listing on the shelves of Tesco stores across the nation.
Tesco has signed an exclusive supermarket deal to stock South Caernarfon Creameries’ new Dragon Handcrafted range at large stores across Wales.
The range includes a new Maplewood Smoked Cheddar, developed with the smokery at iconic Anglesey brand Halen Môn, in its Welsh stores.
It is joined by a Slate Cavern Aged Cheddar, which is matured 500 feet underground in the Llechwedd slate cavern at Blaenau Ffestiniog, in a traditional method used for centuries in France to achieve a deeper flavour.
Completing the trio for Tesco is Dragon’s Handcrafted Penderyn Whisky Cheddar, made by infusing the Slate Cavern Aged cheddar with a Madeira finish whisky from the iconic Welsh distillery.
The new triple listing is a significant boost for South Caernarfon Creameries (SCC), which has operated for more than 80 years at Chwilog on the Llyn Peninsula where is employs 130 staff.
The co-operative, founded in 1938 to get a fair price for farmers for their milk, makes all of its products with 100% Welsh milk, supplied by more than 130 farming members across North and Mid Wales.
SCC has been supplying Tesco for more than two decades and the latest listing builds on the existing lines it sells through Tesco’s Welsh stores.
The co-operative’s Managing Director Alan Wyn Jones said: “We are delighted that Tesco will be supplying our trio of Dragon Handcrafted cheeses for their stores across Wales.
“The Dragon Handcrafted range is something we have been working on for some time.
“We have taken some of the best Welsh high-quality ingredients, rooted in local heritage, and created a premium range of cheeses to truly be proud of.
“We worked closely with experts at Halen Mon, Llechwedd slate cavern, and Penderyn whisky to develop these unique flavours.
“The results are testament to the quality of the produce from our farmers, as well as the skill of our cheesemakers, and we are sure they which will be a luxury compliment to any cheese platter.”
Tesco’s Buying Manager for Wales Matt Downes said he was pleased to be putting the three new products on Tesco’s shelves.
“We know that consumers in Wales are rightly proud of the great local produce that is made here in Wales,” he said. “We are always on the look-out for quality products that our customers will want to buy, and we work closely with our long-standing food and drink suppliers to see what exciting new products they are developing.
“Having tasted these three new lines I am hopeful our shoppers will like them as much as I have, and will pick up these distinctively Welsh products from their local store.”
The innovation behind the three new products has been made possible thanks to SCC’s investment in a dedicated new product development and marketing team, who constantly research the market and experiment with new ideas.
The creamery, which processes more than 100 million litres of Welsh milk each year, still occupies its original site at Rhydygwystl, near Chwilog. Other Dragon brand cheeses made by South Caernarfon Creameries range from Mild Cheddar to a full-bodied Vintage Cheddar.
